The present invention relates in general to a locking device for a soil sampling apparatus. The structure of the device enables the unlocking of the nose after it has been driven to a desired depth, thereby allowing a sample to be taken beginning at the desired depth.
The need to obtain soil samples is present in many industries, particularly where investigation of hazardous waste is required. Prior art soil sampling apparatuses have disclosed a number of different structures to unlock the nose at a desired depth, and to thereby begin to take the soil sample. Some soil sampling apparatuses have to be unscrewed in order to begin to take the soil sample. This requires a long rod that extends from the surface to the nose of the soil sampling apparatus, and is susceptible to binding and other difficulties. Other soil sampling apparatuses have wires or fluids to release the nose at the desired depth, and have a variety of shortcomings.
What is needed is a soil sampling apparatus having a nose that is easily unlocked, without the requirement of wires, fluids, rods or other structures that will add to the complexity, cost, time and failure rate of the soil sampling apparatus.